Chapter 7 – The Order That Made No Sense
The silver badge sat in Daniel's trembling hand.
"The Chief knows everything already."
Every officer stared at the engraved words in silence.
Before anyone could speak, Daniel's radio crackled.
"Officer Brooks, this is Police Chief Harrison."
His voice was unusually calm.
"Seal the warehouse immediately."
"No one enters."
"No one leaves."
"And hand over every piece of evidence."
Daniel frowned.
"Sir... Detective Sullivan disappeared."
"I know."
"We'll handle it."
Daniel glanced at Rex.
The German Shepherd wasn't listening to the radio.
He was sniffing the concrete floor.
Then he suddenly scratched at a rusty steel drain hidden beneath a stack of wooden pallets.
Daniel pulled the pallets away.
There was a narrow hatch.
Locked.
"What is this?"
One officer searched the building plans.
"There shouldn't be a tunnel here."
Daniel ignored the order to wait.
With a crowbar, officers forced the hatch open.
A cold gust of air rushed upward.
Metal stairs disappeared into complete darkness.
Rex barked once...
...and ran down without hesitation.
Daniel followed.
The tunnel stretched hundreds of feet beneath the warehouse.
Old electrical cables lined the walls.
Abandoned surveillance monitors flickered with static.
Then they reached a reinforced steel door.
It stood slightly open.
Inside...
Hundreds of computer servers hummed quietly.
Dozens of monitors displayed live security footage from train stations, schools, parks, hospitals, and highways across the city.
Every camera feed was organized by date and location.
One officer whispered,
"This isn't just surveillance..."
"It's a command center."
Daniel walked toward the largest monitor.
His heart nearly stopped.
The screen displayed a live video feed...
...from Police Headquarters.
Specifically...
The Chief's private office.
The room was empty.
Until the office door slowly opened.
Chief Harrison walked inside.
A second man followed.
It was Detective Sullivan.
The two men shook hands.
Then Harrison calmly handed Sullivan a thick envelope full of cash.
Every officer watching the screen fell silent.
Daniel finally had proof.
The corruption reached the highest level.
But before anyone could copy the footage...
Every monitor suddenly went black.
One message appeared across every screen.
"YOU WERE EXPECTED."
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Then...
The building went completely dark.
